Safe & Sound
by That Guy Who Ships Niff
Summary: OC Joel is feeling neglected by the New Directions and, for reasons that are unknown to him, becomes the punching bag for the new big man on campus. When the bullying gets worse, will the Glee club be able to save him before it's too late?


_**A/N**_: This is a very OC-centric story but does feature many canon characters. Joel can be found in most of my other work. As for Ian, this is his first appearance. If I could place a setting, it'd be somewhere around last night's (5x05) and next week's (5x06) episodes.

* * *

Joel Richardson sat in his fifth period History class as Mr. Schuester lectured about World War II. He yawned and spun his pencil in his hand. Another hour until school ended and he could go to Glee club and bitch about not getting a solo. He had decided to take up the role that Rachel Berry left when she graduated.

"Joel?" Mr. Schuester called.

"Yeah?" he answered, looking at the teacher.

"Are you paying attention?"

"Maybe. Why?" Joel smirked. His classmates snickered.

"Joel, you're not doing particularly well in this class." Mr. Schuester tapped his pointer on the desk. "You don't participate in class discussions."

"And you're singling me out in front of everyone? Nice teaching, Mr. Schue."

"Joel, stop arguing with Mr. Schue," Blaine Anderson sighed. Joel scoffed and sat back, folding his arms across his chest. The bell rang and Joel grabbed his bookbag, heading out into the hall while ignoring Blaine's attempts to talk to him. He bumped into someone, accidentally knocking the books out of their arms.

"Watch it, loser!" A voice snapped. Joel picked up the fallen books and looked back at a guy in a Letterman jacket. He knew most of the guys with such jackets but didn't recognize this one.

"Sorry," Joel chuckled. "I'm a bit of a klutz."

"Stay the fuck out of my way," the guy snarled, pushing Joel against a locker.

"Whoa, okay," Joel muttered. "No need to get all touchy-feely about it."

"Joel, you okay?" Blaine asked, walking over.

"Yeah." Joel brushed off his shirt and picked up his bag. "What a douche. Who is he?"

"Ian Cassidy," Blaine replied knowingly. "He just transferred from some school in Columbus or something."

"And he already has a letter jacket? Great. Another jock to deal with," Joel sighed. "Well, last class is English Lit. Let's go."

* * *

An hour later, Joel walked into the choir room and found no one there. He glanced at his phone and looked around. Glee club started five minutes ago. He shrugged and pulled out his iPod.

"_I wanted your love, but look what it's done to me_

_All my dreams have come to nothing_

_Who would have believed_

_All the laughter that we shared would be a memory_

_I cannot count the tears you've cost me_

_If I could have seen_

_And do you ever think of me?_

_And how we used to be?_

_Oh, I know you're somewhere else right now_

_Loving someone else, no doubt_

_Well, I'm one for sorrow, ain't it too, too bad?_

_Are you breaking someone else's heart?_

_'Cuz you're taking my love where you are_

_Well, I'm one for sorrow, ain't it too, too bad for us?_"

"Joel?" Joel wiped his eyes and looked for the source. "Hey, man, are you okay?" Ryder walked into the room with Marley, Kitty, and Tina.

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. Just fine. Where were you guys?"

"Old Lady Hodges held us for talking during one of her boring lectures," Kitty said.

"Who were you singing about?" Marley quipped.

"No one special," Joel murmured, looking at his shoes. "He's taken anyway. It doesn't matter."

"He goes here, doesn't he?" Kitty smirked.

"Let me guess. Is it Blaine?" Tina teased. Joel declined to answer and started shuffling through his iPod.

"Do you believe in true love, Joel?" Marley asked. Joel nodded. "You'll find someone. There's someone out there for everyone."

"Yeah, totally, you have a hot guy who's standing right in front of me. Ryder, you are, hands down, the hottest guy in Glee. Kitty has Artie. Sam has that attractive nursing student..."

"Come on, Joel..."

"And I have nobody!" he proclaimed dramatically, dropping to the floor.

"Okay, everyone, Nationals is in two weeks!" Mr. Schuester exclaimed, coming into the room, followed by the rest of the club. Joel sighed loudly and went to the back of the room, settling himself behind Marley and Ryder.

"So are we going to audition for solos?" Blaine piped up.

"Is Blaine going to get another solo or duet with one of the more visually appealing members of the club?" Joel stood up.

"God, Joel, you're just like Rachel," Artie noted.

"Maybe, but, unlike Rachel, I don't get shit," Joel huffed. "All I did was just sway in the background during Regionals while Blaine and Marley sang their pretty little hearts out. I demand recognition. Even a small solo in one song, I'd be completely fine with."

"We're trying to win a competition here, Joel," Mr. Schuester pointed out tiredly. Joel opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. Everyone was looking at him. He grabbed his bag and stormed out of the room, but not without kicking over a chair in a very Finn-like fashion.

* * *

Joel ran down the hall, feeling tears prick his eyes. He knew he was never going to be as good a singer as Marley or dancer as Blaine, but the one thing that really got to him is the implication that he wasn't good enough for being in the club overall. Pushing through the front door, Joel sighed and leaned against the brick wall.

"Hey!" A voice called, snapping Joel out of his reverie. He saw that Ian guy coming towards him, flanked by two other guys.

"Um, hi again," Joel said. "Can I do something for you?"

"Yeah, you can go back into whatever fucking closet you came out of," Ian retorted, pinning Joel against the wall.

"W-wait, what did I do?" Joel looked at Ian, wide-eyed.

"You know damn well what you did, you little whore." Ian shoved Joel into the arms of his thugs and punched him in the stomach. Joel tried to speak, but Ian's next punch silenced him. Another punch hit him in the face, and then he felt himself hit the pavement with Ian's foot colliding with his chest.

"You better watch yourself, you little faggot." Ian kicked Joel in the chest again. Joel opened his left eye weakly to see Ian leave. He lay on his stomach and coughed up some blood.

"Shit." He rolled onto his back and sighed, lying there for God-knows-how-long until he seemed to black out. Before his eyes closed, he could've sworn he heard Blaine's voice say his name.

"Joel...!"

And then, darkness.

* * *

_**A/N2**_: If you'd like to leave a review (and I'll love you forever if you do)...

* * *

_**Songs featured**_:

-_One for Sorrow_ (Steps) - Joel


End file.
